Transferring an old HDD with Windows 7 to a new PC

[dogeiman]

So I got a whole new PC (mobo, CPU, GPU) coming in soon and a need to use my old HDD. Is there a way to transfer my old HDD to my new PC, keeping my copy of windows 7?

 

[USAFRet]

So I got a whole new PC (mobo, CPU, GPU) coming in soon and a need to use my old HDD. Is there a way to transfer my old HDD to my new PC, keeping my copy of windows 7?

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The farther apart the hardware, the less likely it is to work.

Clean install is always recommended, often required.

 

[dogeiman]

So I got a whole new PC (mobo, CPU, GPU) coming in soon and a need to use my old HDD. Is there a way to transfer my old HDD to my new PC, keeping my copy of windows 7?

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The farther apart the hardware, the less likely it is to work.

Clean install is always recommended, often required.

Well its still and intel CPU and an nvidia GPU, I was wonder if sysprep would work?

 

[USAFRet]

So I got a whole new PC (mobo, CPU, GPU) coming in soon and a need to use my old HDD. Is there a way to transfer my old HDD to my new PC, keeping my copy of windows 7?

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The farther apart the hardware, the less likely it is to work.

Clean install is always recommended, often required.

Well its still and intel CPU and an nvidia GPU, I was wonder if sysprep would work?

Sysprep is only for brand new installs. Not something already deployed.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721940%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
"Sysprep must be used only to configure new installations of Windows. You can run Sysprep as many times as required to build and to configure your installation of Windows. However, you can reset Windows activation only up to three times. You must not use Sysprep to reconfigure an existing installation of Windows that has already been deployed. Use Sysprep only to configure new installations of Windows."

 

[Shaun o]

The problem with compatibility with why one version of windows 7 installed on a hard drive.
And then placed in another or more newer system that contains the new motherboard.

Is down to the brand of chip set used for the north and south bridge chips of each motherboard.
Along with the audio chip, type and vendor and also the Lan controller chip type used for the Ethernet ports of the board.

If you do not have the licence key for your version of windows 7, or have lost it so you can unlock it from the 30 day trial usage period.

Download this program and install it on your current system with the windows 7 os installed on the hard drive you intend to move to the other system.

Run the program.

It will find, and give you the valid windows licence key used to activate windows 7. simply write it down for future reference.

If you need to do a fresh install of windows on the new motherboard you intend to run with the old system hard drive.

https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

Like said, if it`s the case of you no longer have the windows 7 licence key to do a fresh install of the os.
And activate windows 7 again, key finder will resolve that problem for you.

So you can do a fresh install of windows 7 on your new system.
It will be far less trouble than trying to run a system drive with a working os installed on it when trying to run with another motherboard where the different chip set used will cause all sorts of freezing of the system or devices not functioning properly with the new setup you are buying.

Saving time.